Immerse: History Camps

The Thomas County Historical Society offers several ways for families and children to immerse themselves in the history of our community. Annual summer camp programming and monthly Make History at the Museum allows kids to get hands-on with history!

Mark Your Calendars!

Camp Dawson

at the Museum of History

June 5-9, 2017

Each day brings new adventures and museum mischief as campers immerse themselves in Thomas County history!

Campers will get hands-on with history, conducting an archaeology dig in the Museum backyard, testing their skills in the Log House kitchen, tending a pioneer garden, “meeting” Civil War soldiers, and much more while they explore the evolution of our community.

See what we’ve learned on the last day of camp with a performance open to family and friends!

at the Lapham-Patterson House

June 20-22, 2017

The Lapham-Patterson House and its residents have been witness to the evolution of history, art, games, and technology over its more than one hundred year history. Join us as we explore turn of the century life that existed within and outside its walls…

Campers will construct and launch hot air balloons on the last day of camp inspired by the c.1886 balloon launch held in Thomasville.
Open to rising 3rd – rising 6th graders

Camp registration information will be mailed to members of the Thomas County Historical Society soon. At that time, rising 3rd through 6th graders may register for both Camp Dawson and Camp LPH. To join or renew your membership, please visit thomascountyhistory.org/join. Priority registration will be given to members of the Historical Society and will open to the public soon after.

Registration Open!

Priority registration for Historical Society Members will continue through mid-April. Following that date, registration will open to all interested campers. Registration is first come, first served and camp fees must be paid in full to reserve your spot.

to seek out, record and tell Thomasville’s lesser-known historic past for today!

Students will be encouraged to reach back into their own memories and those of their families for the stories of Thomasville. After the stories are researched, students will begin the process of learning to tell their story by diagramming them onto the “storyteller’s arc,” and learning to present them in an oral tradition format. By the end of the course, students will have uncovered and learned how to share family stories that pertain to Thomasville’s unique history.

Born in Tallahassee, Saundra Kelley is a Florida Cracker who moved to the mountains of East Tennessee for graduate school, and decided to stay awhile. Based in Jonesborough, Tennessee, for the next ten years she traveled throughout the southeast telling stories and presenting at workshops, and became a performing member of the prestigious Jonesborough Storytellers Guild where she served as president for three years. Recently returned to her roots in North Florida, she lives with her miniature poodle, Geoffrey.

On March 7, Dr. Mark Blackmore, Professor of Biology at Valdosta State University, will deliver a lecture on the Yellow Fever epidemic of the early nineteenth century and discuss the mosquito-borne illness’ impact on South Georgia settlements. An expert on mosquito biology, Dr. Blackmore has published more than twenty scholarly peer-reviewed papers on the subject, and has been on the faculty of Valdosta State University since 1996.

This lecture is part of the March Program Series which also includes the Hands-On Heritage Workshop: Pine Needle Baskets on March 18 and the lecture “Conserving the Magnificent Giants of the Red Hills” by Shane Wellendorf on March 21.

to seek out, record and tell Thomasville’s lesser-known historic past for today!

Students will be encouraged to reach back into their own memories and those of their families for the stories of Thomasville. After the stories are researched, students will begin the process of learning to tell their story by diagramming them onto the “storyteller’s arc,” and learning to present them in an oral tradition format. By the end of the course, students will have uncovered and learned how to share family stories that pertain to Thomasville’s unique history.

Born in Tallahassee, Saundra Kelley is a Florida Cracker who moved to the mountains of East Tennessee for graduate school, and decided to stay awhile. Based in Jonesborough, Tennessee, for the next ten years she traveled throughout the southeast telling stories and presenting at workshops, and became a performing member of the prestigious Jonesborough Storytellers Guild where she served as president for three years. Recently returned to her roots in North Florida, she lives with her miniature poodle, Geoffrey.

The Society is excited to introduce an extension of our popular Make History! program. Make History: Hands-On Heritage will encourage adults to get hands-on with history and learn a traditional handicraft from a local expert.

Hands-On Heritage Workshop

Pine Needle Baskets

Saturday March 18, 2017

10am-Noon

Our first Hands-On Heritage class project will be learning how to make pine needle baskets made from the needles of the longleaf pine. Taught by Patti Strickland, participants will learn about the centuries-old traditional craft and make their own small pine needle basket. Registration fees include all materials.

All ages are invited to join us at the Lapham-Patterson House for a special weekday edition of Make History! Monday, March 20th for A Salute to Spring. March 20 is the vernal equinox, a day marking the start of spring and a day in which there are equal day and night hours. On this day each year, a unique phenomenon occurs on the third floor of the Lapham-Patterson House. Science, history, and creativity collide for a unique celebration of spring’s arrival. To view nature’s trick of light and shadow, please visit the Lapham-Patterson House between 2:30pm and 5:30pm. The peak viewing hour for the “Equinox Effect” is 3:30-4:30pm. In addition to viewing the light show, the event will include crafts and activities based on the science of the equinox. This event is presented at no charge and all are welcome. The Lapham-Patterson House is located at 626 N. Dawson St. This event will only take place if it is a clear sunny day.

On March 21, Shane Wellendorf, Conservation Coordinator at Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy will share “Conserving the Magnificent Giants of the Red Hills,” a discussion about the history of private land conservation in the Red Hills region and how those efforts have protected local forests and the preservation of that ecological legacy for the future. Tall Timbers is nationally known for its prescribed fire and wildlife ecology research and has an accredited Land Conservancy that holds 130,593 acres of donated conservation easements and owns more than 12,000 acres of land in south Georgia and north Florida. Shane has worked for 11 years at Tall Timbers as a wildlife research biologist. In 2011, he transferred to the Land Conservancy and began working on conservation transactions and easement stewardship.